Kukla's Korner Hockey

2014 OLYMPIC ROSTERS ANNOUNCED
The men’s hockey rosters for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, have been announced. Each of the 12 competing teams features at least one NHL player. Every NHL team has at least two representatives:

TAVARES’ FIVE POINTS POWER ISLANDERS
Captain John Tavares (3-2—5) recorded his second career five-point game, including his fifth career hat trick (and first of the season), to power the Islanders to their fourth victory in their last five outings.

* Tavares’ other five-point game came on March 16, 2010, his rookie season, in a 5-2 victory over the Canucks (2-3—5).

* According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last Islander to register a five-point game that included a hat trick was Zigmund Palffy, who posted 3-2—5 in a 7-2 win over the Penguins on April 17, 1999.

* With his five-point performance, Tavares moved into third place in League scoring (20-31—51 in 43 GP). He has 7-5—12 during a five-game point streak, his third streak of five or more games this season.

* Tavares also reached the 20-goal plateau for the fifth time in as many NHL seasons. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the fifth player in club history to post 20 or more goals in each of his first five NHL campaigns, with each of those seasons coming in an Islanders uniform (Mike Bossy, Clark Gillies, Billy Harris, Bryan Trottier).

* Thomas Vanek collected a pair of assists to stretch his career-long point streak to nine games (5-9—14). Andrew MacDonald also posted two helpers to extend his assist/point streak to five games (0-8—8).

FLAMES EDGE MacKINNON, AVALANCHE
Mike Cammalleri scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:30 remaining in regulation to help the Flames improve to 8-2-1 in their last 11 visits to Colorado.

* Avalanche rookie Nathan MacKinnon scored a pair of power-play goals, his second consecutive multi-goal game (2-0—2 Saturday vs. SJ). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, MacKinnon (18 years, 127 days) is the youngest player in NHL history to record multiple goals in each of two consecutive team games, breaking the mark set by Jets forward Dale Hawerchuk Oct. 23-25, 1981 (18 years, 204 days).

* MacKinnon also is the first 18-year-old (on any team) to post consecutive multi-goal games since teammate Matt Duchene did so Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2009.

* MacKinnon leads all rookies with 14-14—28 in 42 games this season. He also paces all first-year players with seven power-play goals and 121 shots on goal.

* Fellow rookie Sean Monahan, the sixth overall pick by the Flames in the 2013 NHL Draft, scored his 12th goal of the season, third among freshmen.

BOBROVSKY MAKES STRONG RETURN
Sergei Bobrovsky made a season-high 40 saves, plus another two in the shootout, to lead the Blue Jackets over the Rangers in his first game since Dec. 3.

* Three Blue Jackets scored in regulation, including Brandon Dubinsky, his first against his former club (1-2—3 in 3 GP vs. NYR).

* Rangers forward Rick Nash also scored his first goals versus his former club, tallying a pair on the power play (2-0—2 in 2 GP vs. CBJ).

PRICE RECORDS 20TH VICTORY
Canadiens goaltender Carey Price made 26 saves to record his 20th victory of the season, his fourth consecutive season with 20 or more wins. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is just the second Montreal netminder in the last 20 years to post four straight 20-plus win seasons, joining Jose Theodore (2000-01 through 2003-04). Prior to that, Patrick Roy won at least 20 games in each of nine consecutive campaigns for the Canadiens from 1985-86 through 1993-94.

LOOSE PUCKS
Avalanche forward Paul Stastny recorded 1-2—3, his seventh multi-point game of the season. He has 19-27—46 in 40 career games versus the Flames, his most goals, assists and points against any opponent . . . Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog collected an assist for his 100th NHL point, extending his career-long point streak to seven games (3-5—8) . . . Panthers rookie Aleksander Barkov posted an assist to stretch his point streak to six games (1-6—7).